U.S. soldier dies in vehicle “rollover”

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A U.S. soldier was killed when a vehicle rolled over in central Iraq, upping to nine the number of U.S. servicemen killed this month, according to the U.S. army in Iraq on Friday. “A Multi-National Division – Center Soldier died in a non-combat related vehicle accident Jan. 22,” read a U.S. army release received by IraqiNews.com news agency. The release did not give any more details about the accident or where it has specifically taken place. Five of out of the nine U.S. casualties this month have died of non-combat incidents. The announced death brings to 4,230 the number of U.S. soldiers killed since the beginning of military operations in March 2003. The year 2003 saw the death of 486 U.S. soldiers, increasing in 2004 to reach 849 but went down by three in the year 2005 to reach 846. In 2006, a total 822 U.S. soldiers were killed, going up in 2007 to reach a record highest of 904. However, the number of U.S. soldiers killed in 2008 went down dramatically to reach 314. July 2008 is still the month with the lowest number of U.S. deaths in Iraq: 13, including two lost reportedly missing in May 2007 but their bodies were found later on July 9. November 2004, which witnessed fierce confrontations between U.S. forces and armed groups in the volatile city of Falluja, al-Anbar province, western Iraq, is still the record highest as 137 U.S. troops were killed. AmR (S) 1